News

News

Catholic right holds first prayer breakfast

National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
May 18, 2004
When 1,000 “faithful” Catholics packed a Washington hotel ballroom for the first-ever National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on April 28, noticeably absent was the man who could be the first Catholic president in 44 years. Democratic U.S.

Church leaders: Bush's clean-air policy foul

The Clear Skies initiative
May 18, 2004
One hundred Christian leaders told President Bush in a pointed Earth Day rebuke that they have “grave moral concern” about his clean-air policy. The letter, coordinated by the National Council of Churches, accused Bush of weakening air-quality standards and putting the elderly and young children at particular risk through his “Clear Skies” initiative.
Century Marks

Century Marks

May 18, 2004
Moratorium on prayer: Anthony Bloom, longtime head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain, was a noted authority on prayer. In an article published posthumously (Theology Today, April), Bloom admits that his prayers were once driven by the thought that if he didn’t pray his world might collapse.

AAR keeps plan for stand-alone meeting

Traditionally meets concurrently with Society of Biblical Literature
May 18, 2004
Despite an on-line petition signed by nearly 3,000 members, the board of directors for the 10,000-member American Academy of Religion said the organization of religion scholars will not rescind its decision last year to meet separately from the Society of Biblical Literature, beginning in 2008.

Suffered in Israeli jail, says Christian convert

Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu
May 18, 2004
Released Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu said on April 21 he had been persecuted by the authorities in Israel because of his conversion to Christianity. “I want to tell those who say I am a traitor, I suffered here 18 years because I am a Christian,” Vanunu said after his release from 18 years in jail.